Refrigerator.



A; FIN K. REFRIGERATOR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1912. 1,067,724.Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Z Eco 12% A. PINK.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION PIIIED APR. 8, 1912.

LOGWTIM, Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

125 77 5 f rz /kraor pix TTNTTED @TATEd PTlEhlT OFFICE.

ALBERT FINK, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO N ICEREFRIGERATOR-- COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

REFRIGERATOR.

LOhY/ZZ L Application filed April 8, 1912.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, finnnu'r FINK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Refrigerator, of which thefol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators used for thepurpose of preserving foods, being particularly of the type ofrefrigerator in which the evaporation of moisture is utilized for thepurpose'of reducing the temperature within the refrigerator, so that thecontents thereof may be kept at a lower temperature than the out' sideatmosphere without the necessity of using ice.

iteferrii'i to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:Figure 1 a perspective view of a refrigerator. is a vertical,sectionalview of the tor. Fig. 3. is a horizontal, section line 11 t with the JFig. .3 is an j 11, sectional view of the upper portion of he door ofthe refrigi-irator and the adjacent the refrigerator. S is an cnlar titof the refrigeraor ed, secial view of the lower portioi i of the doorand the adjacent parts of the refrigerator. Fig. 71 is an enlarghorizontal sectional view of a portion of the wall of the refrigerator.Fig. 8 a see tional, plan View of the refrigerator showing amodified'form of water distributer.

The refrigerator compi' s a frame con; sisting of four vertical cornerposts 1 joined at the front by means of cross bars 2 and 3, at the backby cross bars 1 and 5 and at each side by means of upper and lower bars6 and 7. The standards 1 are also joined on each side by means ofbars 8which extend therebetween. The back of the frame is also providedwith'cross bars 9. Mounted within the frame just described is an outer'zasing 10 which extends on the inner side of the frame across the back,across each side, and over the cross bars 2 and 3 of the front of theframe, the space between the cross bars 2 and 3 and the standards 1 on.the front of the frame being lcftcpen for the purpose of receiving thedoor hereinafter described. The outer casing 10 extends outwardly intothe space between the cross bars on the back and sides of the refrigerator to form an air space between the casing 10 and theevaporating surfaces of the body walls of the refrigerator. Perforations11 are formed in the casing 10 for the purpose of permitting theatmosphere to enter within the outer casing for the purposes hereinafterdescribed. The inner corner of each post 1 is cut to form two verticalledges 14 and 15 respectively, the outer casing 10 being bent over theledges to form seats to receive the body walls of the refrigerator, ashereinafter de scribed. Each end wall of the refrigerator consists of asheet of foraminous material, preferaliily a wire screen 16, which restsupon the seats 14, the body of the screen spaced apart from the casing10 at e ch end of the refrigerator leaving an air space thercbetween.The back of the re itor is provided with a sheet of forainu'iousmaterial or screen 17 extending "s the back of the refrigerator and dupon the respective seats 15 formed h upright posts 1 and the casingscreen 17 being spaced apart e rear wall of the casing 10 to form spacetherebetwecn.

The inner member of the refrigerator wall consists of a sheet metalcasing 18 having a hack portion 19, end walls 20 and front portions 21which extend parallel with the front of the refrigerator, thenceforwardly and flaring outwardly to form a seat 22 for the door 25, atwhich point the front portions are secured to the outer casing in anysuitable manner. Placed on the outer face of the ends 20 of the innercasing 18 is a sheet 26 of asbestos or other absorbent material, a sheet27 of similar material being placed on the inner side of the screen 16at each end of the refrigerator, the space between the sheet 526 and thesheet 27.0f asbestos being filled with charcoal or other similar porousmaterial, except that at in tervals there are provided vertical .fluesor air passages 30 formed of screen 31, the cross section of which, inthe form shown, is rectangular, and having a thin sheet 32 of asbestosplaced about the screen 31. The rear wall of the refrigerator issimilarly formed and consists of a sheet .35 of asbestos placed on theoutside ofthe Wall 19 of the inner casing, a sheet of asbestos 3G placedon the inner side of the screen 17, and a charcoal filling 38therebetween. Air lines 39 are also provided in the rear wall of therefrigerator extending vertically therea through consisting of wirescreens 40 having a cross sectional area of rectangular shape, eachcovered on the outside with a thin sheet of asbestos 41.

The inner casing of the refrigerator is provided with a bottom wall 45on the underside of which is placed a sheet 46 of asbestos which restsupon a body 47 of charcoal or other porous material supported on a sheetof asbestos 48 on the top of a screen 49, which screen 49 extends acrossthe bottom of the refrigerator and rests upon ledges or seats 50 formedon the cross bars of the frame of the refrigerator. The inner casing isalso provided with a top wall 52 upon which is placed a sheet ofasbestos 53, then charcoal filler 54, upon which rests a sheet ofasbestos 55, upon which is placed a screen 56. The front edge 58 of thetop wall 52 is bent upwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, for thepurpose of forming a holding means forthe sheets of asbestos 53'and 55,charcoal filling 54 therebetween and the screen 56. Extending downwardlyfrom i the upper edge 58 of the top wall 52 is a sheet of metal 60 whichextends downwardly to a sheet 61 of metalplaced onthe inner face of thecross bar 2. The sheet 60 forms a trough for the purpose of conductingwater to a series of perforations 62 formed in the lower end of thesheet 60, as hereinafter described.

The door of the refrigerator consists of a frame comprising verticalbars 63, top bar 64: and lower bar 65. The bars 63 are each providedwith vertical openings 66 and the bars 64 and 65 are each provided withopen ings 67 and 68 into each of which extend hollow ribs 86 formed on asheet 70 of metal gecured to the inner side of the frame of the oor.

The inner face of the door consists ofa sheet 71 of metal, terminatingat its upper end in a downwardly extending top member 72 and at itslower end in an upwardly extending bottom member 73, the edges of themembers 72 and 73 terminating in flat portions secured to the sheet orlate 70 in any suitable manner. The member 71 at each side thereofterminates in two inclined side members 74 which are adapted. to fitagainst portions 22 of the inner casing 1 8. Placed against the innerside of the sheet of metal 70 is a screen 75, the inside of which iscovered by a sheet of asbestos 76, and the inner sheet 71 of the door isprovided with a sheet of asbestos 77, the space between the sheets 76and 77 of asbestos being filled with charcoal, as indicated at 80. Thedoor is also provided with three vertically disposed air conduits 81consisting of an inner layer of wire screen 82 surrounded by a thinsheet of asbestos 83 in the same manner as those heretofore described inthe body walls of the refrigerator. The plate or sheet 70 comprisingpart of the door is provided with longitudinal and .transverse hollowribs 86 formed therein which extend into the respective openings in thefront of the door, leaving an air space 87 between the ribs 86 and thescreen 75, the ribs 86 being provided with a series of perforations 89,so as to permit air to come in contact with the screen and asbestossheet 76. The door is mounted on suitable hinges 90 secured to one ofthe front vertical posts 1, and is also provided with locking means,indicated at 92, operated by means of a handle The door in the presentinstance is also provided with a mirror 94 which is mounted in anysuitable manner on the face of the door.

The upper end of the inner plate 71 of the door is bent downwardlytoward the outer plate 7 O of the door. thence upwardly along the face.thereof, as heretofore described, thereby forming a channel 100 having aseries of perforations 101 at the lower end" thereof. The portion 72 ofthe plate which forms the channel is also provided with a series ofopenings' 102 having downwardly extending flanges 103 which extend intothe respective air conduits 81 formed in the.

door. The lower member 7 3 of the plate 71 is provided with a series ofperforations 105 and also having .formed therein a series of openings106 surrounded by flanges 107 formed on the member 73 which extendupwardly into the lower end of'the air conduits 81 in the door, asclearly shown in Fig. 6. The members 72 and 7 3 of the inner plates andthe side portions adapted to engage a rubber asket 109 secured to thefixed portion 0 the refrigerator for the purpose of making a tightclosure between the door and the stationary portion of the refrigerator.The front edge of the bottom plate or wall 45 is bent downwardly, thenupwardly at an angle, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, to form a channel 112under the inner portion of the door, a series of perforations 113 beingformed in the channel atthe lowest portion thereof, so that moisturewhich may be deposited on the channel may drain downwardly onto a sheet1.1-1 of asbestos placed across the front end of the charcoal body 47 inthe bottom of the. refrigerator. Adjacent to the front edge of thebottom of the refrigeratonand arranged to register with the air conduitsin the door of the refrigerator is a'series of air conduits 115 formedof wire screen 116 on the inner side thereof covered with a sheet ofasbestos 117 for the purposes hereinafter described. A deflector 120 ismounted below the refrigerator body having an inwardly extending flange121 for" the urpose of directing moisture which may drop from the bodyof the refrigerator into a pan 122 108 thereof are provided with top 130havi all) turned flange 1%, u

insures mounted upon frame on the bottom of frigerator for the pwpose ofpermitting free passage of air from the exterior to the interior of thewalls of the 113f1l'31';lt.01. The drip pan opening or line illffilflange 1%} prevents the water in the pan om lowing through the opening125 in me center of the pan. The 1113151 portion of the re erator is up,central flue 131, the inner walls of which are covered by an extension182 of a plate 133 at the top of the refrigerator. The upper end of theflue 131 is covered with an arched screen 136 for the purpose ofpreventing foreign matter falling into the top of the refrigerator.

In the form shown. in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, an opening 1 10 isprovided in the top 133 of the refrigerator through which water may bepoured onto a series of distributing troughs 14:1, .liii and 1 13 whichdeliver the water into a pan 14st. which extends around the inner wallof the refrigerator below the top thereof. The troughs 141 a d dc 1liver water to the pan at each side of the refrigerator, and the trough14:3 delivers water to the pan along the back of the re frigerator. Thetrough 1 13 is provided with an opening 145 through which water is.carried by means of a pipe 146 to the central portion of the distributor1417, the sloping walls of which distribute the water over the outeredge of the screen 56 at the top of the refrigerator. The pan 14:4: isprovided with a series of perforations 150 which deliver the water inthe pan onto the porous walls of the refrigerator for the purposeshereiir after described.

In the form shown in Fig. 8, the distributing pan and troughs areomitted and the water is introduced to the refrigerator through the centl opening; or fine in. the top of the ref rater, in wliich case thedistributor 127 is relied upon to distribute the water to the poroussides of the refrigerator. The chamber 160 of the refrigerator may beprovided with a series of shelves 161, as indicated, which may besup'giiorted therein in any of the well known manners of supporting thesame. The chamber 160 is provided with a. pipe 1652 which extends throuh the rear wall of the refrigerator, so that the interior of the chamberis in open communication with the outer air. A cur rent of air is perr:tied to pass tl'u'oue'h the refrigerator, throi ir conduitin the bottomof rater, uhrongh t" the door to the interior of the refrigerator,thence to the open air through the pipe 162.

The refrigerator is constructed as above described for the purpose ofproviding a refrigerator having. walls adapted to permit a maximum ofevaporation taking place both on the exterior of the walls and on thesurfaces of the air conduits in the walls, the door of the refrigeratorbeing especially designed and constructed so that evaporation may takeplace within the-air conduits of the door, thereby producing a refrige'ator in. which the food chamber is entirely surrounded by walls havingevaporating surfaces. The lowering and maintainin of the low temperaturewithin the food clamher 160 of the refrigerator is accomplished bypouring a quantity of water through the opening 1&0 in the top of therefrigerator, which water is distributed by means of the pan 1% to theporous walls of the refrigerator in such a manner that the entire porousportion of the walls becomes saturated, and as the walls are in contactwith the at mosphere on the exterior thereof, and as a free current ofair is permitted to pass upwardly through the air conduits, thence outthe central opening 131 in the top of the refrigerator, which isinduced, more or less, by the rising of the water vapor caused byevaporation, evaporating action takes place bothon the exterior of thewalls and within the Walls themselves, thereby reducing the temperaturewithin the refrigerator to a degree favorable to the preservation of thefood therein. A drain cook 17 0 is provided in the pan 122 so that,should any Water pass entirely through the walls and drip into the pan,the same can be drawn off.

If it is desired, various means may be employed for producing anattractive finish to the exterior of the refrigerator. In the presentinstance the corners of the refrigerator are shown covered with stripsof metal 171.

What I claim is 1. A refrigerator having front, rear and side walls eachcomposed of sheets of asbestos with a porous filler between said sheets,conduits of porous material to form evaporating surfaces extendingupwardly through each of said walls, a door in one of said walls havinga porous filler therein, and conduits of porous material extendingupwardly through said door and registering with the conduits in the wallhaving the door.

2. A. refrigerator having front, rear and side walls, having spacedsheets of absorbent material with a porous filler between, a casingspaced from said walls, and provided with openings, conduits of porousmaterial extending upwardly through each of said walls, a door in one ofsaid walls, a porous tiller in said door, and a plurality of conduits ofporous material extending up wardly through said door registering withthe conduits in the wall having said door.

3. A refrigerator having front, rear and sidewalls, composed of spacedsheets of'absorbent material and a porous filler in each wall betweensaid sheets, conduits of porous material extending upwardly through eachof said walls, a door in one of said walls, a porous filler in saiddoor, a plurality of conduits of porous vmaterial extending upwardlythrough said door registering with the conduits in the wall having saiddoor, and distributing means above said walls adapted to distributewater to the porous filler in said walls.

4. A refrigerator having front, rear and side walls, composed of spacedsheets of ab sorbent material witha porous filler in each wall betweensaid sheets, conduits of porous 1 material extending upwardly througheach of said walls, one of said walls having an opening therein,conduits in said last named wall arranged above and below said openingin open communication therewith, a door hinged to said last named walladapted to close said opening, a porous filler in said door, and aplurality of conduits of porous material extending upwardly-through saiddoor adapted to register with the conduits in the wall having the doortherein.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 27th day of March, 1912.

ALBERT PINK.

In presence of FRANK L. A. GRAHAM, ISABEL HALL.

